Communities along the lower Murray and its lakes region in South Australia hope a deal aimed at improving the river system will help restore some land values in the region. But they agree there is no immediate prospect of a boost to environmental flows as part of the national agreement on managing the Murray-Darling Basin. Part of federal funding for South Australia will see $120 million spent to pipe river water to lower lakes communities from further upstream, where salinity is lower. Neil Schillabeer, from the Lower Lakes and Coorong Infrastructure Committee, says it will help guarantee water supplies for irrigators and towns at the mouth, but will not address the unhealthy state of the river system. "There is a need for probably 200-250 gigalitres of water in the very immediate future to solve the problems we've got there right now," he said. "That doesn't seem to have eventuated. Our state Premier hasn't been able to negotiate those sort of volumes of water for the lakes."

An alliance of more than 40 community organisations is campaigning for the Brumby government to rethink its solar energy tariff policy before the legislation is introduced into parliament. Environment Victoria Campaigns Director Mark Wakeham said the government is ignoring the successful introduction of more a more effective feed-in tariff in other countries, describing the policy as a ‘huge missed opportunity’. The group placed a quarter-page advertisement in Monday’s Age pointing out the legislation’s defects. EV

Ross Garnaut, the Rudd government's climate advisor, has delivered his interim report on climate emission reduction mechanisms, but the bigger policy questions remain unanswered. The report outlines proposals for a carbon emissions trading scheme, perhaps better described as a cap-and-auction scheme, in which the government sets a declining cap on carbon emissions, with permits to pollute allocated by way of auction. Professor Garnaut will be hosting public forums from 7 to 11 July 2008 in cities around Australia for discussions with the community on the Draft Report. He will be at the Melbourne Town Hall 9 July at 10am. Garnaut Review

Conservationists have used the 25th anniversary of the Tasmanian dams decision to step up pressure on Tasmania's new premier over Gunns' proposed pulp mill. Many speakers at a dinner in Hobart on Tuesday 1 July used the occasion to urge David Bartlett to stop the mill going ahead. More than 1,000 people attended last night's dinner including Tasmania's Premier. The Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown started the evening by urging David Bartlett not to pulp hopes. Geoff Law from the Wilderness Society tried to appeal to the Premier. "How fantastic it would be to be back here in another 25 years time having another celebration with David Bartlett with guest of honour because the mill got stopped," he said. Tasmanian author, Richard Flanagan, spoke of the hundreds that went to jail over the Franklin River. "We will go to jail in our tens, in our hundreds, in our thousands and that pulp mill will never be built," he said. Franklin 25th

The Victorian government is trialling a plastic bag levy of between 10 and 25 cents, aiming to phase out plastic bags over the next two years. Six retail stores are currently involved, however, there are hopes that virtually all supermarkets will willingly participate to reduce the number of plastic bags. The trial will hopefully eliminate retailers’ fears that consumers will move their business to shops with free plastic bags. ecomedia

While Gunns Ltd struggles to secure finance for its controversial Tamar Valley pulp mill which labours under a cloud of doubt over its environmental impacts and diminishing public support, a further challenge to its future is being played out in a Victorian court. This challenge has ramifications not just for the pulp mill, but for environmental regulation across Australia. The Melbourne-based group, Lawyers for Forests, is challenging the approval of Gunns' pulp mill by former federal environment minister Malcolm Turnbull. The arguments are complex, but at their centre is the question of whether Commonwealth environment law allows the Minister to approve the mill and then require further testing to see what the impact of the effluent from the mill would be. Full Article

Come to Climate camp in the Hunter Valley NSW 10 - 15 of July. We invite you, your friends and family to participate in the Camp for Climate Action! Registration Now Open. The Camp will be an inspiring five days of workshops and grassroots direct action aimed at stopping the expansion of the world's biggest coal port in Newcastle. The Australian camp is one of seven being held around the world in July and early August 2008. Camp Climate Action